I’m wearing the silliest slippers …

But the good thing is that I’m wearing them while sipping tea AT HOME! I love traveling, but I think that coming home is just as nice. The trip to Alaska was awesome, over all. I have two more pictures for you - both of these were taken while standing on the Matanuska glacier. Maybe it’s just me, but the idea of a massive moving ice formation is humbling, and to be standing on one is … wow!!  You can see where I am (the green arrow) on the glacier in the picture.

The one on the left is me.  The one on the right is my brother, Jeremy. He is the reason I traveled to Alaska, as he’s been living there, and I wanted to spend Thanksgiving with him. My brother and I are very close - he’s been such a great friend to me over the years, a really loyal supporter, always willing to tell me like it really is, and hash things out with me. The way he lives without fear - of change, of opinion, of ideas, of danger, of disappointment - is inspiring to me.

In crochet news …

So today my mother-in-law gave me the silliest possible slippers. They should be called “elf shoes.” I don’t know who made them - her sister? - but look at the balls on them! And they’re laced! Aren’t they hysterical? I’m absolutely going to have to wear these. How could I not wear something this silly?

Finally, a new project I’ve been working on while traveling. (just what I need while those other ones aren’t done, right?). This is supposed to be a Christmas present (if it turns out right). This project is an afghan for my grandparents. Like all of my projects, it is designed to be a crochet learning experience among other things. Because I’m (1) a slow crocheter and (2) it’s late-ish to make a full blanket, I decided that investigating this whole speed hook thing would be profitable at this juncture. So this afghan is being made holding 3 strands together with some ridiculously large hook - like an N or a Q or something (which is smaller than the recommended S, but that one’s just silly). It makes very puffy fabric. I used three colors and will be using them together for a border, and striping the colors in the middle. So what do you think so far - like? fail?